Judiciary’s, Not INEC, Remains The Core Issue In Nigeria’s Democracy – Peter Obi

Judiciary’s, Not INEC, Remains The Core Issue In Nigeria’s Democracy – Peter Obi

Peter Obi, the Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 election, has asserted that the judiciary, rather than the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), poses the greatest threat to Nigeria’s democracy…..read also Peter Obi Honored 11-Year-Old Boy Who Invited Him To Primary School Graduation

Speaking at the fifth memorial of the late Justice Anthony Aniagolu at Godfrey Okoye University in Enugu, Obi emphasized the commodification of justice in Nigeria. He stated that the judiciary often favors the highest bidder and noted a concerning decline in the integrity of the judicial system.

“Despite a few exceptional judges, the overall decline in our judiciary threatens Nigeria’s future,” Obi said. “Justice is increasingly sold to the highest bidder, undermining our democracy more than INEC.”

He highlighted that a compromised judiciary impacts the rule of law, disproportionately affecting vulnerable members of society and destabilizing the nation. Obi stressed the need to safeguard judicial independence and promote values such as integrity and competence among judges and political leaders to ensure justice and fairness in Nigeria.

Reflecting on the consequences of a dysfunctional judiciary, Obi noted, “When the judiciary fails, society suffers. True justice becomes elusive when it is driven by commercial interests.”

This statement follows the dismissal of electoral challenges by Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party and Peter Obi himself, with the Supreme Court affirming Bola Tinubu’s presidency on October 26, 2023.